


Rehab Recluse

by nydu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Bipolar Sasuke, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family, Mental Disorders, Mutual Pining, SasuSaku - Freeform, Sex Addict Sakura, Slow Burn, silver linings playbook - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:59:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22992085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nydu/pseuds/nydu
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha has been released from Psych Rehab back in the care of his parents. Determined to win his ex-wife Ino back, Sasuke forges a deal with a recently widowed woman, Sakura Haruno; a former sex-addict. The two become closer and Sasuke, his parents, and Sakura begin examining their own relationships to cope with the issues they have avoided their whole lives.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Hyuuga Neji, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru/Temari, Uchiha Fugaku/Uchiha Mikoto, Uchiha Sasuke/Yamanaka Ino
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Sasuke

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by the movie, Silver Linings Playbook. If you're a fan of the movie please relate the characters of Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence to Sasuke and Sakura respectively. This story is more of a tribute to the film rather than straight up plagiarism, it has been changed in various parts to avoid a certain monotony.

"What are you kidding me? Sundays, I love Sundays. Mom makes Tadashi's grilled tomatoes and Omurice. Dad puts on the jersey and we are all watching the game. Yeah, it drives me crazy, and yes I was negative. You don't even know how I love you Ino but-" Sasuke gets cut off from reading the note he is holding by a sharp knock on his door. 

"Come on, time to go!" the guard tells him.

Sasuke stands unbothered and continues to read to himself, "-I lost all that, I blew it. But you also blew it, and we are going to get it back. I am better now, I hope you are better too and I know that-"

*another sharp knock on the door*

"Doctor's waiting let's go!"

"I'll be there in a minute okay, I'll be there in a minute," Sasuke sighs and looks at the note again before continuing. "-That's true love." He folds the note before sliding it into an envelope and into his pocket.

Sasuke stares out of his window. The room in which he stands in is sparsely furnished; A bed with white linen sheets, a desk with a book stacked on it in the corner and a small notebook from which he reads. His bedside table has a lamp and bottle of Gatorade on it and a couple of running shoes stuffed beneath the bed. There is a cupboard that contains all his clothing and a huge hand-made sign that says, 'Excelsior' on the wall right beside it. He gives the room a quick look before finally deciding to step out.

He skips down the stairs after confirming his attendance to the attendant who visited his room before and stands in a queue to get his daily medication. It is always the same, Ariprazole and Haldol. Once it's his turn, he takes the small cup from the attendant's hand and swallows the two capsules in one go and pulls his tongue out to reveal to her. She nods and he walks out a few yards only to spit out the medication after he takes several quick strides through the hallway towards the group therapy room. 

"I used to steal and lie to my parents a lot, and I know that was wrong now, I know that now. I feel in retrospect that, for me not owning up to my actions was much worse than the acts themselves. But I am pushing, I am really pushing through. And in these past few weeks, I have really felt the results of my perseverance brim through the surface. I started writing to this really beautiful girl, her name's Hinata and uh she and I share the same love I have for Ramen. Yeah, that really brings us together." A beaming young man in his early thirties sitting amidst the circle of people in group therapy spoke. His blonde cropped hair dusted his forehead and cerulean eyes shone vividly as he spoke. 

"Good, very good this time Naruto. I am glad you are making that progress you speak of and feel like you are very close to dissolving the issue at hand, which is your BPD and resorting to unnecessary actions that lead you to hurt other people," A blonde woman seated right in the corner spoke out, her dark topaz pupils eyes the clipboard in her hand before roaming around the circle of people. 

"How about you Sasuke? Would you like to share something with us today?"

Sasuke's raven locks enshroud his perplexed and nervousness while his fingers fidget, legs bobbing up and down restlessly. 

"Hn. I, uh well, I just feel that anything's possible. I think we get, we often get caught up in the state of negativity. It's like poison, it's nothing else," he finally responds before collecting his thoughts. His raven locks still enshrouding his expressions and his lips curl upward, twitching as he completes speaking. 

"Lovely thought is it not you guys? I really appreciate you coming forward with that and sharing it with all of us, Sasuke. Very positive indeed." The blonde woman spoke in encouragement turning her head around addressing everyone. 

The group therapy session finishes and every single soul sitting there disperse leaving behind Tsunade, the blonde woman who jotted hastily on her clipboard. Sasuke trod his way out accompanying his friend Naruto who was both plunged into a conversation about the basketball game that was airing that night. Tsunade's eyes gave a final stare as the two walk out, her eyes boring into their backs. 

Sasuke was on the lawn outside doing push-ups, his Gatorade sat not a few feet away and Naruto was playing cards with another patient named Lee. Sasuke was on his second rep, and each rep consisted of fifty push-ups each. He'd started working out ever since Ino had filed for divorce when he was in his first month of recovery at the clinic. He'd go on long runs every day. It was all about how positive he felt that day. Keeping himself occupied in literature and workouts was just his way to staying anchored so that he had no more manic episodes. His body though appeared to be very toned and muscular compared to how he used to be before, which he partly believes is why Ino lost interest in him. 

"Hey, you gonna get over here and join us or what?" Naruto wailed at Sasuke while revealing his cards on the deck as Lee drops his cards in disbelief and starts rubbing his temples in frustration.

"Hn. I think I prefer to doing more effectual things," Sasuke smirks while dabbing his forehead with a towel.

"Uchiha! Someone here to see you," a brunette cries out from across the lawn, waving to him. Sasuke stares once at Naruto and raises a single brow in curiosity before following her into the clinic. 

In the hallway is Mikoto who is speaking to Tsunade and another In-charge about some release forms. His eyes widen at the sight. All he could hear were low mumbling before Mikoto crosses her arms and the in-charge along with Tsunade finally gave in. She sighs before walking over to Sasuke with a smile.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, dear you look so much better," Mikoto brings one of her hands up to cup Sasuke's face and stares intently into his obsidian eyes, lips curling into a peachier smile. 

"Dr. Tsunade, what's going on?" he inquires before placing a hand on his mother's and moving it away. 

"Your mother here is persistent on getting you discharged," she responds before her eyes trail in the direction of Naruto and Lee who skip through the double doors inside the hallway and stare back at Tsunade before walking away inconspicuously. 

"What does this mean?" Sasuke inquires once again demanding her attention until Tsunade's eyes trail back up to him. 

"Well, technically you can take him out even against our recommendation, but you assume a lot of liability in the eyes of the court. And he's getting used to the routine here-" Tsunade begins explaining.

"-I don't want him to get used to the routine here! Eight months is long enough," Mikoto cut her off sounding a little miffed.

After a series of paperwork, Sasuke retreats to his room and packs all his belongings before giving the room one last look after plucking down the 'Excelsior' sign off the wall and walks out. 

"Hey mom, can we give Naruto a ride to North Konoha?" Sasuke asks his mom who was only pulling out of the parking when she saw the blonde, blue-eyed man standing in the driveway.

"What? I don't understand." She responds.

"Oh no, it's fine, it's fine. He got discharged along with me," he replies, easing her.

Naruto steps near the back passenger door and opens it, slipping inside with his small backpack. 

"I guess everybody's leaving today." He comments and greets Sasuke's mother who only gave him a customary smile.

"Hello Mrs. Uchiha, an honor to finally meet you. Sasuke's told me a lot about you, how God made you rich in character, that you're the mighty oak that holds the household together." He finishes beaming with a smile before turning to Sasuke who glares at him. 

They begin driving down the freeway before making the cut for North Konoha. 

"Naruto was in for a petty robbery which apparently because of his obsessive disorder and hyper anxiety. He served in the psychiatric hospital and then joined rehab to get treated for his issues-" Sasuke began explaining.

"-Bad combination I'll tell you, Ramen and Hyper anxiety. My mother just couldn't stand my lying and stealing anymore. She had to call the cops on me once she found my stash," Naruto cut him off, Mikoto gave them an uncomfortable smile.

Mikoto's phone rang. 

Mikoto slows the car down to respond to her phone, "Hello,"

"Yes, I did, yes," she continues.

"What?! Are you sure about that?" Mikoto sounds very surprised.

"I'll bring him back right away." She flips her phone shut and turns around agitatedly.

"You lied to me Sasuke! Naruto isn't allowed to step out of the rehab because he was never discharged." Mikoto swerves the car onto the side lane to make a U-turn.

"All right mom, just hold on a second-" Sasuke panics and places his hand on the steering wheel whirling it away from him back onto the main road. The car was about to ram into another car before it took off speedily avoiding being grazed before honking several times. 

"DO NOT TOUCH THE STEERING WHEEL!" Mikoto screams before skidding to a halt. She sighs heavily and stares out of the window before speaking. 

"Sasuke, this whole thing was a mistake. I am out on a limb for you with the courts right now-" 

"It's my fault, it's my fault. Take me back to the rehab, but please take Sasuke home with you. I'll be back out in a couple of weeks anyway." Naruto cuts in, owning up to his mistake. 

Mikoto sighs again before turning towards Sasuke and Naruto and restarts the car, driving it back to the rehab to drop off Naruto.

They pull into the driveway of the Uchiha residence. Sasuke pulls his things out from the car in the cardboard boxes he'd packed them in and walks onto the lawn. He stands in front of the house, staring at it for a while before his mom calls for him to come inside. 

Fugaku and Kakashi are arguing about the outcomes of tonight's basketball game betting on their favorite teams and bickering about who would win. 

Sasuke steps inside and puts the boxes down beside the stairs. His eyes lift up to gaze at the two portraits of him and his brother. Unfortunately, he finds his portrait taken down and placed along the wall leaning against it while Itachi's still hangs. He turns inside to look at his father and Kakashi who are still arguing passively.

"What? What's this?" Fugaku exclaims shockingly while pointing at Sasuke. 

Fugaku turns towards him before gasping and then strides past Kakashi after handing him his drink and hugs his son. 

"Where is it?" he asks tugging at Sasuke's neckline and pulling out the Uchiha fan pendant from his shirt and placing it deftly back onto the fabric. 

"You still got yours?" Sasuke inquires before Fugaku pulls out his and they both share a smile. 

Fugaku holds onto Sasuke's arm while gazing alternatively between Mikoto and his son, "What you don't tell me you're bringing him back home?"

"Well, he's ready," she responds. 

"You didn't tell Dad you were picking me up?" Sasuke turns towards his mother turning a puzzled eye.

"I just wanted to make sure that when you come out you were OK, she didn't tell me anything," Fugaku turns towards Mikoto, "You didn't say anything."

"The court said yes, it's alright. Don't worry, dear." She responds before placing a hand on each other their shoulders before pulling into a hug. Kakashi simply stood there mirthfully looking at the happy reunion before clearing his throat a few moments later.

"Kakashi!" Sasuke exclaims before pulling him into a hug. 

"Man you sure have grown a body in there, what were you doing, arm wrestling the inmates?" Kakashi asks jokingly. 

Sasuke turns slightly irate with the apparently sarcastic comment before making eye contact with his mother who tries to soothe him. 

"So Dad, what are you doing with yourself?" Sasuke inquires turning towards his father who took a seat on the couch and tosses the newspaper into his lap.

"Oh, we just got this new contract. It's worth a lot and well Itachi has already started the groundwork on it. Trust me, this is the biggest project we have been handed out in months-" he began explaining.

"Oh yeah, and how did you afford all this?" Sasuke spread out his arms directing at the chandelier, carpets, and teak cabinets. 

"As I told you, we have been getting quite a few projects. Itachi's been working really hard at-" 

"Whats the classic word for it? Fraud? All the sand you have been packing into people's houses instead of concrete? Cheap flooring you sell to people who can't tell the difference between mahogany and vinyl planks? Is that where all this is coming from?" Sasuke yells in between his father's explanation while Fugaku shifts in his seat uncomfortably.

Fugaku turns to Mikoto who herself turns around to look at Sasuke before shifting her gaze back, to her husband. 

"Who told you that?" Fugaku asked Sasuke.

"Mom did, outside," Sasuke responds.

"No-no I didn't. I didn't say it like that." Mikoto adds. Kakashi shifts awkwardly and seats himself in the lone chair to the right of the couch. 

"Mom you just told me outside, what are you talking about? You told me, 'Don't say anything, Dad's duping people of their money and frauding his clients again.'" Sasuke justifies himself. 

"Why Mikoto, why'd you say that to him?" Fugaku looks over to Mikoto in disappointment.

Mikoto shifts uneasily and lowers her gaze. Fugaku quickly shifts the subject back to Sasuke and asks him more about his work.

"Everything is fine, Sasuke. I am just worried about you. So tell me what are you going to do right now, where are you going to get a job? Are you going to get back into the construction business with me? The family business?" Fugaku tucks his elbows on his knees, planting his face on his palms.

"Hn. No, I don't think so, dad. I am going to be working solo from here on. My own terms, my own contracts. I am gonna show Ino, that I am a better man and that we can still live in our house together like the old days." Sasuke responds. 

Mikoto, Fugaku, and Kakashi exchange glances before Fugaku speaks again. 

"Sasuke, Ino sold the house. She left. Didn't your mother tell you-" 

"Let me tell you something Dad, you don't know anything about our marriage. Our-our marriage, we were very much in love okay? Just like you two!" Sasuke cuts in yelling almost agitatedly. 

"Listen, Sasuke, Ino is gone now, she's not around anymo-" Fugaku repeats.

"Dad what are you doing? What, what are trying to do-" Sasuke broke off before switching his stance and continuing, "You know what, EXCELSIOR. Excelsior. That's right-" 

"What does that mean?" Fugaku inquires.

"It means you know what I am gonna do, I am gonna take all this negativity and I am gonna use it as fuel and I am gonna find my silver lining. And that's no bullshit. That takes work and that's the truth." He exclaims before turning his back to them and rushing up the stairs. 

•

The whole day goes by without Sasuke's parents intervening in his activities in the tool shed behind their house. Sasuke was a professional woodworker and came with high recommendations, he did contracts for house remodeling, reconstruction, and minor structural changes but you couldn't call him an architect mainly because of how he'd gotten into the family business straight out of high school with no college degree. Back in the day when he worked for his father, he was undermined and always overwhelmed with work when it came down to laying out the groundwork. Unlike Itachi who would scathe at his improvement and steal his ideas. Fugaku somehow always honored Itachi's action as they tended to bring in more money because he would find more viable options to Sasuke's plans which sometimes even bordered on fraud. Sasuke seemingly got miffed and walked out of his father's company to pursue private contracts and this was exactly when his bipolar syndrome got worse. He would lash out at Ino, they would have violent scream contests and then it all finally came down to her cheating on him with Sai.

The next day, Sasuke woke up early and munched on a tomato before stepping outside for a jog. Sasuke finishes his thirty-minute jog before running back up the porch of the house.

"Come on Sasuke, let's go!" Mikoto yells from the living room.

"What, what do you mean?" He asks.

"Come on, we have to go for your therapy. We are going to be late!" Mikoto speaks as she stuffs items into her purse.

"I don't want to go to therapy!" Sasuke yells.

"You have to go, it's part of the deal. You can't live with us and not go, now let's go!" Mikoto yells back.

Sasuke walks defeatedly towards the passenger door and yanking it open. 

He enters the reception on the office signing himself in before freezing in step; the song- 'Stevie Wonder- My Cherie Amour' plays in the reception where he and his mother stand. 

His eyes roam hysterically before clearing his throat, "Is that song really playing?" He breathes deep.

"We have music sometimes," the receptionist answered.

"That song is killing me. Could you please turn it off?" Sasuke latches onto the reception desk.

"I can't, I don't have the controls." She says politely.

"Is there a speaker here, is the speaker here" he frantically paces about the room jerking the magazine stand and flipping it over, looking for the speaker.

Sasuke snaps out of his fit before saying, "I am sorry, I am sorry, I'll fix this." He quickly grabs the magazines from the floor and places them back. He stares back at the other people seated in the waiting area and the receptionist who was a second short of calling the police. 

Tsunade steps out of her office staring at him. He walks right into the office as if on command.

"That was a messed up thing you did you know, that was a messed up thing. I am sorry I messed up your stuff out there, but that-" Sasuke exclaims walking up to the couch to take a seat.

"I am sorry, I just wanted to check if that song was still a trigger for you-"

"Well, Bravo! It's still a trigger for me. I am not gonna take any meds okay. No, no I am not-" Sasuke continues.

"You have to take your meds, Sasuke." Tsunade finishes.

"It makes me foggy, look I am not the explosion guy okay, My dad is the explosion guy. We got kicked out of that match because he beat up people, I mean he was on the exclusion list. I had one incident-" He proceeds to explain.

"One incident is quite a lot, it can change a lifetime." She stops writing on her writing board.

"I am ready. I am ready to take responsibility for my side of the street. She should be ready to take responsibility for hers."

"What's hers?"

"What's hers? Are you joking? Let's go back to the incident because you have so certainly forgotten. I come home from work, which I never do but I came back early because I got into a fight with a worker back at my shop. I come home, and what's playing but the song from our wedding, the song you so intelligently played for us in the reception out there. So I walk around and I find pieces of clothing lying, and a guy's pants with a belt in and I see the DVD player and in the DVD player, there is the CD playing our wedding song. And then I look down and see my wife's panties on the ground and I look up and see my wife naked in the shower. I think, 'Oh that's sweet, she's in the shower what a perfect thing, oh I'll go in there and 'maybe I'll go in there. We never fuck in the shower, maybe today we will.' I pull the curtain back, and there she is fucking her best friend that I always hated because he'd always eye her and you know what he says to me? He says, 'Maybe you should go'. So yeah, I snapped. I beat him to death. But what, I get chastised for it? Get compared to my father? I don't think so." He completes.

"Alright let's go back to something before and after the incident." Tsunade crosses the feet.

"Hn. About a week ago, I called up the cops complaining to them about a scheme in which my wife and that guy were plotting to embezzle money out from the office they worked in which," Sasuke pauses to look down into his lap and fidgets, "wasn't true, it was a misunderstanding. I'd made it up. I had later found out from the clinic that's because I was an uh-"

"Undiagnosed bipolar." Tsunade completes.

"Yeah, with mood swings and weird thinking brought down by work stress, and that's when the shower thing happened. I snapped so, I'd realized I'd been dealing with this my whole life so I've basically been white-knuckling it this whole time."

"That had to be hard." Tsunade looks straight at him.

"Yeah, especially when you don't know how to deal with it and know what the hell is happening, which I do now. Well, sort of." Sasuke shrugs.

They stare at each other for a moment before Tsunade scribbles in his clipboard.

•

"You have to take your medication," Mikoto was arguing with Sasuke again in the kitchen. Fugaku sat in the living room reading the paper.

"No, it makes me feel depressed and foggy,"

"You have to take your medication, or I'll call them-" Mikoto continues.

"Why would you do that, Ma?" Sasuke's leaning on the wall next to her, watching her cut vegetables. 

"Why don't you just take the medication?" Fugaku intervenes in their argument in the kitchen. 

The doorbell rings and Fugaku paced across the room to answer it. Sasuke follows.

"Hey can I do an interview on my report here for my school on Mental Illness?" a brown-haired kid stood in the doorway asking Fugaku.

"NO!" Fugaku shouts before slamming the door in his face while Sasuke peaked from behind him to see who it was.

"Was that Might Guys' son?" he asks.

Fugaku strode into the front room again and picked up his newspaper before retreating into the lawn through the back door of the kitchen. 

Sasuke pulls out of the house angrily and started running across the road. His mom walks into the patio and shouted, "Sasuke, don't go after Ino!" 

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke kept running and ignored her wailing. Fugaku joined her on the patio and stared at his son who had disappeared into the distance. 

He ran block after block before he reached where he wanted to. The red-bricked Cape cod house he had once spent months designing and constructing looked impressive from the distance but brought back painful memories to his mind. He stood there watching a woman lay her baby in a stroller and driving it through the backyard before pulling out onto the road, halting to stare at him. 

"Can I help you?" she asks.

"Uh, yes do you know where the person who sold this house lives now?" Sasuke speaks through his heavy breathing.

She stops to gaze at him.

"You're her ex-husband, right? I can't give you that information. Last I heard she got a restraining order against you." She responds, almost disturbed. 

His eyebrows furrow and he gives her a puzzled look, "Well yeah you could call me her ex-husband but I am looking for her. It is very important that I see her." Sasuke gestures.

She just stood there bewildered and confused to respond. Her baby started wailing and coos at her, "Maybe, you should go." She replies.

The resemblance in her tone, and the same words that Sai had once used brings him back to reality. He turns around and starts running away, tears threatening to stream down his cheeks as he wipes them away furiously with the sleeve of his grey hoodie. 

"Sasuke!!" 

"Hey!!" Sasuke is caught off-guard.

A man in a spiky ponytail, waves at him as Sasuke halts before his house. He opens his arms into a hug as they stand there staring at each other. 

"Welcome back man!" Shikamaru cries.

"Yeah," Sasuke returns almost nervously.

"I miss you, man. I almost didn't recognize you, you've lost weight, miss playing those shogi games with you. I am glad you're back. You gotta come to see the baby, he's beautiful. Come on over sometime, Temari wants to make dinner for you." He says with excitement.

"Congratulations on the baby, but I am not buying your invitation." Sasuke looks down, tucking his hands into his sweats.

"'Cos you think Temari still hates you?" Shikamaru questions.

"I know Temari hates me," Sasuke retorts.

"It's not true, man." Shikamaru 

"Yes, it is, Ino said, Temari always keeps Shika's social calendar where she keeps his balls, in her purse." Sasuke counters.

"That's not true." Shikamaru shrugs awkwardly.

"Shikamaru, what are you doing?" Temari wails, stepping out of the front door.

"Well okay, maybe it's a little true. But if you think she still hates you, why would she want me to invite you to dinner?" Shikamaru asks Sasuke. 

"Did you invite him?" Temari continues wailing. 

"Yeah," Shikamaru answers. 

"Well, can he make it?" Temari asks persistingly. 

"I don't know yet." Shikamaru shifts his gaze between Temari and Sasuke. 

"See you next Sunday?" Shikamaru asks Sasuke. 

"Sure," Sasuke responded. 

"Well, see you next Sunday." 

"Are you guys still in touch with Ino?" Sasuke inquires, turning halfway around back to the road. 

"Yeah," Shikamaru replies.

"Great, see you next Sunday!" He replies eagerly. 

Sasuke steps inside his house and walks into the kitchen only to jump hearing the doorbell.

Fugaku got up to answer the door before Sasuke sidesteps him and opens the door first.

"Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha. I got a call asking me to check on your house. I am officer Kotetsu and I heard about the restraining order from a worried citizen of the neighborhood, telling me you went to visit your old house a few blocks away and inquiring about your ex-wife. Now, sir, you can't do that kinda thing, I have been assigned to your case so you're going to be seeing a lot of me. Please respect the restraining order, 500 feet." Officer Kotetsu explains almost ad infinitum.

"You hear what he said, you have a restraining order-" Fugaku speaks, standing beside Sasuke.

"Yeah, dad I heard what he said." 

"If there is anything you need, here's my card." The officer hands Fugaku a card.

Sasuke angrily clasps the door shut before walking upstairs, fuming with anger.


	2. Sakura

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get complicated when Sasuke finally meets Sakura and has a meltdown for reasons that are beyond his comprehension.

Sasuke paces back and forth looking visibly distressed in his room upstairs. Fugaku's eyes tilt up staring at the constant thudding sound coming from the roof of the living room, he narrows his eyes turning them towards Mikoto. Mikoto was sitting on the couch knitting while the TV was on and Fugaku resumes to switching the channels, his foot tapping incessantly irking Mikoto who cleared her throat. When Fugaku didn't take note, she simply voiced it. 

"Stop doing that," She murmurs.

"Doing what?" Fugaku quirks a brow.

"That. Your feet tapping. Stop it." 

"Hn." He turns away from her.

Mikoto rolls her eyes and her lips curl into a frown. She puts her knitting equipment aside and walks into the kitchen. Sasuke skips down the stairs to join her. He pulls a ripe tomato from the produce she had carefully taken out of the fridge and bites into it.

"Hey!" she cries, swatting his arm.

He ignores her wailing before picking up the phone receiver in the kitchen. He turns to his mother without dialing in the digits into the receiver. 

"I know why they invited me over, I know why they-" Sasuke explains.

Fugaku enters the kitchen to stop him.

"Listen she might be with that, that guy." His hand tries to grab the receiver from Sasuke.

"Hn. No way, that's not-" Sasuke defends.

"She might be with him. She's too afraid of you Sasuke," Fugaku pulls the receiver from his grasp.

"No way!" Sasuke yanks the receiver from Fugaku's hand and presses it back to his ears. 

"What do you mean? Sai... no last name guy?" Mikoto joins.

"Put the phone down, don't be like this." Fugaku tries grabbing the receiver from his hand a few times and they wrestle like that for a bit. 

Mikoto puts a hand on her mouth consoling, whimpering aphasic sounds almost on the verge of crying. 

"Stop it you two! Sasuke, listen to your father." Mikoto finally yells.

The three of them stand still in the kitchen staring at the floor as Mikoto wipes a tear. 

• • •

Sasuke and Tsunade sit in an irritable silence. It was Day 5 of therapy today and only a couple of day's away from the Sunday dinner over at Shikamaru's and Temari's. 

"Tell me one thing, would you like to be a guy who goes to jail or the hospital?"

Sasuke shifts in his seat anxiously.

"Hmm? So take your medication and if you do fine. We'll reduce them." Tsunade nods in insurance.

"Ino is waiting for me to get in shape and get my life in order and she's gonna be with me, and that is better than any medication," Sasuke declares.

"Sasuke there is a possibility and I want you to be prepared for it; that she may never come back or want to be with you, maybe never return. True love is about letting her go and seeing if she returns, in the meantime when you listen to that song I want you to try not to fall apart. So get a strategy okay? You need one." Tsunade motions her hand, her arm extends with an open palm.

"Let me just say something, can I say something?" Sasuke holds a finger up as if seeking consent.

"Okay," Tsunade clears her throat.

"This is what I believe to be true, what I learned at the hospital. You have to do everything you can and you have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining." He stares blankly at Tsunade. 

Tsunade clears her throat again and looks at her feet before responding.

"Work on a strategy okay?" Tsunade gets up and motions him to move out. They walked over to the door before she opens it.

"So my friend Shikamaru is having a dinner party and invited me over. It's a real hoity-toity thing and his wife Temari is a real stickler for, well I don't know-" He spoke as they both moved out of the door.

"So well my mom got me this outfit from GAP that she wants me to wear, but I want to wear this jersey my brother Itachi got me from the Konoha Kings."

"Which jersey?" she asks raising an eyebrow.

"Dario Kiroki," Sasuke declares.

"Dario Kiroki is the man," Tsunade smirks.

Sasuke smirks in satisfaction and walks out of the office. 

•••

It was the night of the dinner. He dressed himself up and bought a bouquet of white carnations and a bottle of wine he picked up from the little cellar they had at home.

He rings the doorbell and immediately regrets it, walking a few steps down the stairs back onto the porch. 

"Sasuke! What are you doing?" Shikamaru opens the door immediately and stands in the doorway with his hands on his hips. 

"I gotta go, man," Sasuke mutters nervously.

"Why dude?" Shikamaru seems very confused.

"I can't stay, come on. I made a mistake I shouldn't have worn this." Sasuke points the arm holding the bouquet at the jersey he's wearing.

"Dude, you're fine, I like that jersey, I would have worn that jersey," Shikamaru exclaims.

"Hn. I feel like an idiot."

"Are you comfortable?" Shikamaru counters.

"And Temari's not gonna like it. Plus you got a tie on." Sasuke continues.

"Get over here, you are the guest of honor. You come here however you wanna come over here." Shikamaru waves at arm motioning him to come inside.

"Really?"

Sasuke and Shikamaru steps inside a two-story Colonial Revival house. The house is furnished to a theme and has all the trappings of regalia.

"Dario Kiroki is in the house!" Shikamaru shouts to inform Temari. 

"You mean rookie of the year?" She asks, her voices coming from upstairs. "Dario Kiroki, Dario Kiroki," Temari coos to her baby, Shikadai. 

"Aha aha, you wore a jersey to dinner." Temari recites awkwardly. Sasuke freezes in his step hearing the comment. 

"Isn't it awesome?" Shikamaru asks his wife.

"Not for dinner," she replies.

"Look he got us flowers, and wine," Shikamaru says holding up the bottle and pointing to the bouquet in Sasuke's arms. 

"Ow, oh that's sweet, that's so sweet Sasuke." Temari immediately brings to baby onto her other arm.

They walk into the rooms upstairs and Shikamaru points to the seating room, "Check this out, we redid the whole thing."

"Wow," Sasuke's eyes widen at the sight of the perfectly crafted pilgrim style chairs that surround the Jacobean-style fireplace. 

"I am thinking about redoing it again though." Shikamaru strokes his jaw.

"Why?"

"Well, just because. Plus this time I'll ask you to do it. I am making a lot, I can't complain." Shikamaru states.

"Sure but isn't the market down though?" Sasuke quirks a brow.

"Yeah, but this is the time to strike, we saw snapping up commercial real estate, cheap, you flip it over, you flip it over. And that's when you make the money, but the pressure? Man, it's like-" Shikamaru gasps, tensely. 

"You okay man?" Sasuke asks.

Shikamaru shifts slightly, tilting his head to look if Temari was near them before responding. Sasuke follows his gaze.

"Well don't tell anybody," Shikamaru begins.

Sasuke nods in assurance. 

"I feel like I am being crushed," he adds.

"Crushed by what?" Sasuke asks leaning in.

"Everything man. The family, the baby, the job. And the fucking pricks at work. And it's like you know. It's like I am trying to do everything, and I am like. Suffocated!" Shikamaru palms his face. 

"Holy shit man," Sasuke says.

"You can't be happy all the time." Shikamaru releases his hand revealing a pinched forehead.

"Who says you can't be happy all the time?" Sasuke quickly asks.

The doorbell rings downstairs cutting their conversation off. Temari receives whoever is at the door and they walk in. Sasuke cocks his head to see who it is. 

"I hope you are okay with Temari's friend coming over. You okay with that right?" Shikamaru crans his neck forward, his hands placed on his hips again.

"Who?" Sasuke's brows pull together.

"Temari's friend, Sakura Hyuuga," 

"Sakura and Neji?" Sasuke's eyes turn to the stairs, where someone's climbing up.

"No, now just Sakura, Sakura Haruno. Neji died." Shikamaru's hand comes up to his forehead, pinching his brows again.

"Neji died?" Sasuke glares in disbelief.

"Yeah man, cops die. Don't bring it up please." Shikamaru rubs his hands together and tucks them into his trouser pockets.

"How did he die?" Sasuke asks ignorantly.

"I just said man don't-" Shikamaru sneers.

"How did who die?" a voice comes from behind them. 

A woman in her late twenties walks into the room where the men stood dressed in a slightly revealing black knee-length dress that shows her cleavage. Her nails are painted black and her smokey eyes make her emerald eyes pop. Her hair is pink, not like the color of flamingos but soft. Rose-colored strands fall loosely framing her heart-shaped face, the rest of her hair tied up in a messy bun. Her not so revealing cleavage is only highlighted by the black cross she wears as her lone accessory. It somehow guides Sasuke's gaze down her chest onto her peachy, soft skin and then further down to black heels. 

"Hey, Sakura. This is Sasuke, Sasuke this is Sakura." Shikamaru motions at the two.

Sakura marches instantly towards him before halting in front of Sasuke. Shikamaru pulls her into a half hug before she turns back to Sasuke. Their eyes meet in a fiery stare; obsidian orbs stare at emerald ones and suddenly the temperature in the room feels hotter. Sasuke tugs at the collar of his jersey seethingly. There is an awkward silence that lasts a few seconds.

"You look nice," Sasuke finally speaks.

"Thank you," she replies with a small smile that breaks immediately.

"Oh, I am not flirting with you," Sasuke justifies.

"I didn't think you were," Sakura's brows pull together.

"I just saw you made an effort. I am gonna be better with my wife, I am working on that. I wanna acknowledge her beauty, 'cos I never really used to do that. I am gonna do that now, 'cos we are gonna be better than ever, you know, me and Ino. So I am just practicing. How did Neji die?" Words just begin to pour out a nervous Sasuke.

Shikamaru who stands behind Sakura cringes visibly and simply stares at the ceiling, releasing a deep sigh. Sakura's face slacks expression while she lowers her gaze to the floor. 

"What about your job?" Sasuke asks her after noticing her distress. Shikamaru motions his hand to his neck horizontally, jerking it back and forth repeatedly signaling him to "cut it out". 

"I just got fired," Sakura reveals.

"Oh really, how? I mean, I am sorry. But how'd that happen?" Sasuke probes.

"Does that matter?" Sakura squints. Her emerald eyes now peering through smokey slits.

They stand there glaring at each other awkwardly. 

"Baby, how's it going?" an excited Temari enters the seating room intervening their moment, asking inaudible questions to Shikamaru. 

Sasuke stares intently at their new guest. The rose haired woman, who looks seemingly irritated right from the moment she entered the room. His eyes dart to her black painted nails that sit on her defiantly crossed arms, up to the cross hanging loosely from a chain over her cleavage and then back to her face and the smokey eyes. 

"We are gonna go on a tour now, let's go on a tour, you guys." Temari cries excitedly and gestures them to come inside. 

"Let's go see the house," Sakura states to Sasuke after clearly noticing his constant staring. 

"I have been planning this forever, I love our house, I love our house. I am excited about it." Temari continues talking as the rest of the party follows her into the master bedroom.

"Guess what it is?" Temari asked them after pointing to a glass extension on the wall.

"It's a television," Sasuke replies.

"Nope." 

"A computer screen," Sakura answered.

"Keep going, keep going."

"It's a brick oven," Sasuke answered.

"Oh, Oh, Oh, warmer." Temari cries.

"It's a drawer you pull out dead bodies from to shoot them in the head with formaldehyde," Sakura responds irritatedly. 

"Where'd the body go, though?" Sasuke asks Sakura motioning at the size of the thing.

"It's a joke!" Sakura replies, peeved.

"It's a fireplace," Temari replies lighting the brick floor, watching the fire extend inside the glass-lined fireplace. 

They all walked into the bathroom Temari asks them to come into; it is lined with light gray fleece on the floor and, pearl white faucets and glassware, dark gray tiles all over the walls. 

"Give me an iPod. Give me an iPod," Temari asks them excitedly.

Sasuke and Sakura shrug.

"Who doesn't own an iPod?" Temari looks stunned.

"I don't have an iPod, I don't even have a phone, they think I am gonna call Ino, which I would by the way." Sasuke turns to Shikamaru gesturing. Sakura just rolls her eyes. 

"Yeah, I know you would. Don't worry about it. I'll give you my iPod, don't worry." He pulls out an iPod from his pocket and gives it to Temari. Temari puts the iPod in the dock in the wall and the speakers start playing a very gentle sound. Like a lullaby. 

"We have a port in every room." Temari spreads her arms enthusiastically.

"Can you play "Ride the lightning" by Metallica?" Sasuke asks Temari.

Temari glares at him. 

After retreating to the dining room, Shikamaru pulls Sasuke into the corner gripping his forearm tautly. 

"Don't bother her anymore with silly questions alright?" 

"What silly questions? I was just being nice to her and trying to get to know her. You know, socializing?" Sasuke says tugging at his ears.

"If you call that socializing, you gotta work on that," Shikamaru says prodding him back.

He let go of his arm and walks into the kitchen to help his wife.

During dinner, they made pleasant conversation and small talk.

"You know, Sasuke here does a lot of contract construction work, specifically house remodeling. I mean I am sure you've seen that Cape cod he built himself for Ino before uh-" Shikamaru pauses. 

Sasuke's eyes lower to his plate while he continues to chew.

"Really? I was hoping to find someone who could help me with this property I bought at the Beach county since I'll be moving out of my parent's house soon," Sakura spoke.

"Where exactly?" Sasuke asked. 

"Oh, it's near the beach, nezumiro no hama." She answers.

"Yeah, yeah. Sakura she bought this beautiful house overseeing the lake. I am thinking more like a cabin sort of a feel to your house, eh?" Shikamaru adds.

"Maybe. Or maybe just a regular place. I wouldn't know, I'd have to ask a few interior planners to come by and check it out for themselves and tell me what they think." She responds.

"I wouldn't mind checking it out." Sasuke offers.

Sakura's eyes dart towards him, he was chewing into a tomato and celery while his eyes meet her and she stiffly retires her gaze. 

"That's interesting, yeah Sasuke could use an effective project. We'd even want him to work on our house next year right, Temari?" Shikamaru adds turning to face his wife.

"Mhm, sounds great. Maybe after New Year, we could work on it." Temari approves.

There was a steady silence before Temari brought them dessert and Sakura spoke again.

"What meds are you on?" Sakura breaks the silence with her unexpected question.

"Me, none. I used to be on Lithium, Seroquel, and Abilify. But I don't take them anymore. They made be foggy and anxious." Sasuke answers casually.

"Yeah I was on Xanax and Effexor, but I agree I wasn't all sharp so I stopped taking them," Sakura adds.

"You ever take Klonopin?" Sasuke shoves a spoon of the lavender ice cream. 

"Klonopin, yeah." Sakura nods.

"Right, yeah. Like what day is it?" They snigger in accordance.

"Have you ever taken Trazodone?" Sasuke questions.

"Trazodone?" Sakura asks astonished.

"I mean, it flattens you out. You are done, I mean it takes the life right out of your eyes." Sasuke claps his hands gesturing to her.

They sit in silence once again, eating the soft lavender ice cream. Temari looks at Sakura worriedly.

"I am tired, I wanna go," Sakura announces before pulling up from her chair and standing. 

"What, what are you saying? We still haven't seen the back yard and pool yet," Temari pointed her hand to a glass door overlooking the back yard.

"Did you not hear me? I am tired." Sakura claims.

Temari looked stunned.

"Are you gonna walk me home or what?" Sakura turns towards Sasuke who was gulping another spoon of ice cream. 

"You mean me?" Sasuke turns to face her. 

"Yeah, you, are you gonna walk me home? It's dark out there." Sakura points to the front door.

"You know what? You have poor social skills, you have a problem" he responds pushing his icecream bowl aside.

"I have a problem? You say more inappropriate things than there are inappropriate things. You scare people." Sakura quips.

"I tell people the truth, You are mean." Sasuke counters.

"And I am not telling the truth?" Sakura demands.

Shikamaru looks tensely before asking Temari, "Should I drive them home both separately?"

"No, no, you can drive them both home now." Temari nods her head in anguish.

"Stop talking to us in the third person," Sakura counters.

"I am not talking about you in the third person, I just wanted to have a nice-just wanted to have a nice dinner," Temari replies.

"God!" Sakura exclaims.

"What is your problem?" Temari asks.

"Nothing is my problem, I am tired and I wanna go." 

"Guys, the baby is sleeping." Shikamaru points upstairs.

"Sorry I didn't want to wake the baby up," Sakura mumbles.

Sakura grabs Sasuke by the arm and tugs him to move outside. They shove out of the door walking clumsily toward the porch. Sakura's heels click sharply and Sasuke's eyes narrow at its sight as she makes her way along his side onto the footpath turning right.

They walk a good quarter of a mile before breaking the silence. "This is me." They stand before a white wood cottage house with a back house. She turns to meet his eyes and locks him with her stare again, eyes dancing, the air floods with heat. She can see his ears tip red and red spots that sit on his cheekbones. 

"Listen I haven't dated since before my marriage, so I don't know how this works," she spoke.

"What works?" Sasuke inquires, confused.

"I saw the way you were looking at me, Sasuke. You felt it. I felt it. Don't lie, we are not liars like they are. I live in the back, which is completely separate from my parents' house. So there are no chances of them walking in on us. I hate that you wore a basketball jersey to dinner because I hate basketball, but you can fuck me if you turn the lights off okay?" she states.

Sasuke winces, nodding in disbelief. "How old are you?" he asks her apprehensively.

"Old enough to have a marriage end and not end up in a mental hospital."

"Look I had a nice time tonight but, I am married." He replies showing her his ring finger, where he wore his wedding band.

"Well, so am I." She shows her's, a silver solitaire.

"No that's messed up, he's dead," he says and immediately regrets. 

She scowls before tears brim in her eyes. They stream down her cheeks and her nose turned a shade of red along with her cheeks as she rubs it repeatedly. Sasuke's eyes lower as he shifts nervously, regretting over the comment he'd made. Sakura pulls him into an emphatic hug against his will and sobs gently into his chest. Tears streaking his jersey.

"Uh, oh. Oh, okay." He spoke incomprehensibly.

She pulls back and immediately smacks his cheek with her bare palm before walking towards her house and stalking angrily. He stands there with a stinging cheek, hearing a low mumble from her direction, "Asshole." He almost jogs back home.

•••

He shoves the back door aside making his way through the kitchen to his bedroom upstairs not wanting to be interrupted. 

"Hey, hey, Shikamaru called. He sounded worried, what happened?" Mikoto asks him.

"Hey-is that- is that, lipstick on your shirt?" she adds pulling him back by his jersey. 

"Mom, no. I don't know alright?" he responds before walking past his father and skips up the stairs into his room.

Sasuke takes off his jersey and stares at himself frustrated with the reflection he saw in the mirror. He recalls Sakura's face and the way her flush pink lips curled slightly when he'd said she looked nice. He imagines her lips doing other things before he snaps out of it. 

"No, no. What are you doing, Sasuke? You can't think all those things, are you nuts? You love Ino!" He talks to himself.

He sits on the edge of the bed before tossing the cardboard boxes that lie beside his bed searching for something as he grows annoyed searching for it. 

He spends the next few hours searching for something and finally gets frustrated enough to walk into his parent's bedroom and waking them up.

"Mom, mom, wake up. I can't find my wedding video. Have you seen it anywhere? Mom, wake up!" He shuffles past their bed over to her side, breathing loudly.

"Honey, what's the matter?" Mikoto asked.

"It's after 3 o'clock, what are you doing?" Fugaku inquires angrily. 

He drags his mother out of bed and takes her into the study, "Mom, I looked in here but I couldn't find anything. Its all your sewing shit and dad's stuff."

"We put it in your father's study" 

"Don't go in my study!" Fugaku yells from their bedroom, overhearing the exchange.

Sasuke tosses things around in his father's study before his eyes fall on some tapes. Basketball game tapes. He pulls them off the shelf hurriedly searching through them for the one he was looking for.

"It looks to me like you guys are trying to hide my wedding video?" he turns to his mother while scoping through the things.

"Please stop yelling, it's probably in the attic." His mother requests.

"I am not yelling mom, you think I can't take it. I am just frustrated because I should have it here somewhere," Sasuke yells back, contradicting his words. 

Mikoto holds onto his arms trying to pull him away before he jerks himself around, "Stop yelling son!" she screams while Sasuke agitatedly continues scoping through things almost unintelligibly.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, you are going to wake everybody up!" Mikoto shrieks.

"What's going on, is everything okay over there?" Fugaku inquires as he hears his wife and son quarrel loudly.

"I already looked over there, I looked over there, it's not there!" His hands gesture animatedly at the shelves, grinding his teeth.

"Is it here, here? Huh, is it here?" he tosses old clothing scrambling them everywhere and Mikoto pinches her temples while Fugaku climbs up the stairs as the telephone rings.

"Son, calm down. Please just calm down." Fugaku reaches over to Sasuke's side.

"I am not calming down, you think I am gonna calm down? I don't give a fuck who wakes up, let the whole neighborhood wake up!!" Sasuke motions toward the road.

"Calm down son, Sasuke stop it!"

"Sasuke stop it! Stop it, stop it!!" His parents yell in unison.

Tears streamed down Sasuke's eyes onto his face and his face goes red. His chin trembled, while he fights the urge to punch something.

"You think I am ashamed of it? I am not ashamed of it! It's my wedding, my wedding. What the fuck are you doing to me?" Tears run freely from his eyes and his mother tries to control his constant pacing and outcries before he accidentally brings his arm into her face tossing her to the floor.

"Mom!" he cries kneeling before her only to be pushed into the bed by his father. Sasuke's tears streak his cheeks, his eyes widen as Fugaku lunges at him driving a fist into his face. Sasuke falls over, grabbing the bed and pushes his father back.

"Stop it you both!" Mikoto sits back and screams at her husband and son. 

"I didn't start this I am only defending myself," Sasuke responds to her cries. 

The doorbell rings several times before Mikoto pulls her husband and son apart and goes downstairs to answer it. A bloody gash was visible across Sasuke's left cheek.

"Police! Open the door."

"Mrs. Uchiha, I got a lot of calls, people in the neighborhood are scared. I gotta come in." Officer Kotetsu stands in the doorway making his way in before racing upstairs.

"How are we doing in here huh? I got a lot of calls okay, what's going on?" Kotetsu asks Sasuke, who was rubbing his temples in pain.

"Sit down, sit down!" Kotetsu demanded.

"Ino is being manipulated, you have to talk to her-" Sasuke responds.

"Enough with these crazy theories, he's a cop, what are you doing?" Fugaku asks Sasuke. 

"We know all about the episode in the doctor's office!" Kotetsu adds.

"Tsunade is lying, we talked about that. That's confidential information!" Sasuke replied.

The doorbell rang again. 

"What? Who could that be?" Mikoto asks Fugaku who is already running downstairs to answer it.

"It's a medication problem, he's fine now." His mother comes to his defense.

"Huh, you wanna go back to rehab now? Is that what you want. I gotta make a report of this now." Kotetsu reveals.

"No! You can't tell Ino about this, officer!" Sasuke yells.

"I got to make a report, Sasuke."

Fugaku answers the door to the same kid who'd come earlier to ask Sasuke for an interview about his mental disorder. 

"Is this a bipolar episode?" he asks.

"Get outta here you fucking kid," Fugaku clenches the kid's collar and pushes him out onto the porch. The kid limps back running in the direction of his house and yells, "This guy is chasing me, help me!"

Fugaku raps on the door of the house in which the kid had retreated only to be answered by Guy. 

"I am gonna take that fucking camera, and break your fucking head with it. Only to come back to interview you about what's it like to get that fucking camera broken over your head! What are you laughing about?" Fugaku yells at Guy. The boy standing behind him.

"I am sorry, this won't happen again. I am sorry." Guy replies before bringing the door to a close. Fugaku walks back to his house.

"It's alright, this is not a reflection of where I am at, you can't tell her about this, please." Sasuke requests Kotetsu. 

"Pipe down, alright?" Kotetsu speaks, "I won't write this down. But this is your final warning alright? You gotta do better than this. Look at yourself." He motions to Sasuke's face. Fugaku's already up the stairs and enters the room.

"Who was at the door?" Sasuke asked his father.

"It was that stupid fucking kid with his camera, I sent him away." Fugaku comments, "What's going on over here? Are you reporting this?" He asks Kotetsu.

Kotetsu shrugs as the two make their way downstairs. Sasuke hears incoherent mumbles between him and the officer before the sound of the front door closing. Mikoto tends to his cheek and a lone tear streams down his eye.


	3. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke contemplates his new friendship with Sakura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please keep in mind, Sasuke is very OOC in this fic. The characterisation of Sasuke and Sakura is to mirror the characters played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in the movie 'Silver linings Playbook'.  
> I am reposting this off of my ffnet page with some changes and editing since this fic is 3 years old.

Sasuke was staring at himself in the mirror, the gash from last night had left a scar. It was a deep shade of pink and covered his nose and a portion of his upper lip and eyebrow. 

In the other room, Fugaku was inspecting his scars in the mirror, the small cuts to his brow bones and cheek. 

Mikoto stood in the kitchen gazing out of the window at the street, she imagined how horrifying it would have been for their neighbors who had been disturbed so late into the night. 

Sasuke stepped into his bathroom and yanked the cabinet open almost unhinging it, he grabbed the two vials of medicine and placed the tablets in the palm of his hand; 150 mg Abilify and 450 mg of Seroquel. He swilled them down before scooping water from the tap and drinking it. He walked into the room again and pulled out his usual gray hoodie and sweatpants, changing into them for his morning jog.

Mikoto watched as he skipped down the stairs and made his way into the kitchen, he noticed how she stood indiscernibly and walked past her out into their backyard through the kitchen's back door. Her eyes boring into his back as he left. 

He ran as fast as his legs would allow. It was a clear morning, the sun wasn't scorching the roads like every other day but a rather cool breeze blew gently. He ran crazy fast and whizzed past several blocks unwittingly. He sensed a pang in his chest, an uncertainty that he didn't feel comfortable addressing at the moment. His eyes avoided his surroundings and focused on the road, charcoal irises staring into charcoal tar. 

He was already a good ten blocks away before his eyes finally gave in and trailed around his form, looking at the building that he raced past. It was the same white wood, cottage style house with the addition in the back. He slowed down, wondering if she was inside. His thoughts ran back to last night and their awkward conversation. He wondered if his reaction last night was due to what she had said or instigated, whether there was a part of him that contemplated her offer. Whether that same part felt guilty for even considering it, which is why he wanted to watch his wedding video so bad to push those thoughts away.

He quickly picked up his former speed. Suddenly feeling another presence, he turned around only to find the very person he was just thinking about from moments before. She looked pale now that he saw her clearly in the daylight, with her signature pink hair tied up now in a messy ponytail, strands sticking to her face due to the sweat and some that framed her face. Clad in a tight shirt and leggings, she still looked as hot as she did last night and he couldn't stop from wondering why he'd even refused her in the first place. 

"HEY!" she screamed into his face before picking up speed to his match his.

"Woah! Hey!" he responded surprisingly. 

"What happened to your face?" Her brow quirked.

"Weight lifting accident," he replies without meeting her gaze as she jogged beside him staring at his face dubiously. 

"That sounds like bullshit. Why'd you run by my house? Our little conversation get you upset last night?" Her smirk was obvious.

"Hey, this is my route okay, so back off!" he yelled.

"This is my neighborhood, you just ran by my house!" Sakura pointed at her house.

"I like to run by myself okay?"

"Me too!" she replied squinting her eyes to gauge his expressions.

"Hey, I like to run alone ok, will you stop? I am running here!" He certainly demanded now, almost frustrated to the bone.

"What? This is a public road and I am sure anybody can run here!" She yelled back.

"There are tons of roads to run, will you please run somewhere else, what are you trying to do?" Sasuke turned towards her completely while they were still running.

"I like this route, this is my neighborhood!" Sakura persisted, knowing he was soon going to break.

"Oh come on please!" Sasuke cried before holding his temples in anger as he stopped. He grasped his knees now, panting heavily.

"Calm down, crazy!" Sakura stopped right behind him and panted, watching him amusingly.

Sasuke spat onto the gravel before turning to face her. 

"Why are you...?" Sakura began to question and scowled immediately before spitting at the road at the same place he did almost as if meaning to spit back at him. 

He quickly turned around before he could see her and just as she was about to start speaking again he dashed sideways into the side street that cuts through some houses. Sakura began chasing him only to falter behind as he gained momentum. He ran onto the road again and just as he thought he had lost her he slowed down, panting heavily. She chased him down by dashing sideways at him and he leaped in shock.

"Hey!" she screamed in his face again.

"What the fuck! I am married!" he cried.

"So am I!"

"What the fuck are you doing? Your husband's dead!" 

"Where is your wife?"

"Are you crazy?" Sasuke was bewildered.

"I am not the one who got out of the mental hospital!"

"I am not the big slut!" he screamed before halting and regretting his words immediately. 

Sakura had stopped to catch her breath and placed her hands on her knees, he turned around to walk back to her.

"I am sorry, I am sorry," he tried to convince her.

"I was a big slut, but I am not anymore! There's always gonna be a part of me that's slutty and dirty but I like that with all the other parts of myself," she shoved him away with her small hands, "Can you say the same about yourself? Can you forgive? Are you any good at that?" She was agitated at this point.

Sasuke stood there in silence. Sakura had already turned around and left and he stood there looking visibly upset. 

He couldn't fathom why the pain in his chest had returned. 

He couldn't fathom why this girl whom he'd just met a night ago had suddenly made him feel emptier than he'd felt when he'd been admitted to rehab. 

He couldn't fathom why the run back home now seemed like the least appealing thing to him at the moment, considering how much he'd looked forward to jogging since the morning. 

Some part of him, some human part of his conscience wanted to squash all these little insecurities that had begun to grow in his mind. He began running back to his house, today's session with Tsunade would need to persuade him otherwise. 

• • •

"You seemed to have trouble last night?"

"Let me set the record straight on the events of last night. Hurting my mother was a mistake and I hate myself for it, and I hate my illness and I wanna control it. My father, on the other hand, had no trouble slapping the shit out of me last night which I only defended myself from. I mean I could have killed him which I didn't. I mean he's 60 years old. Don't you think I could have beaten the shit out of him?" Sasuke threw his arms around exclaiming.

"He was scared for your mother and he hurt you because of it," Tsunade shifted in her seat.

"Yes last night was a mess and I think he was probably doing this for the best."

"Sasuke you have to have a strategy, you need to recognize these feelings coming to you. So when you get these feelings you need to make peace with your self and get to a quieter place." 

"That's just easier said than done," Sasuke shrugged.

"You have to do it, you have no choice. Remember? Excelsior." 

"Yeah, Excelsior. Listen I have a letter I want you to give Ino okay?" he looked down at the envelope in his hand. 

"No," Tsunade replied sternly.

"Why?"

"Because you have a restraining order." Tsunade quirked a brow.

"What good are you, Doc?"

"Why did you have this overwhelming urge to see your wedding video last night?" She pouted.

"Oh, I don't know because I am married and I haven't seen my wife in a while and I wanted to watch my wedding video." Sasuke was a tone louder.

"Did you feel that if Ino is not around and Sakura who is an attractive girl will grow close to you, it would spoil your chances at getting Ino back?"

"Not bad Doc, but I don't think I am gonna blow it with Ino because Sakura said she isn't a 'slut' anymore." He said with air quotes.

"What does that mean?"

"After the dinner at Shika's, she said, quote, 'We can go to the back house and you can FUCK me as long as we turn the lights out', unquote, and she still wears her wedding ring. So she's like a loyal-married-to-a-dead-guy-not-a-slut" Sasuke shifted on the sofa and sat upright.

"Maybe she needs a friend and she thought that if she offered you sex, it'd be easier to be friends with you," Tsunade smirked.

"She said, she's NOT a slut anymore, BUT she likes that part of herself, along with other parts of herself and if I can say the same," Sasuke shrugged disdainfully.

"Can you?" Tsunade's raised a brow.

"What? Are you seriously asking me that question?"

"Yes,"

"Well, what my crazy sad shit, what are you nuts?" Sasuke was confused.

"Sasuke, the silver lining thing is yours, I am just giving your words back to you. You said, Ino is friends with Temari, Shikamaru, and Sakura. So if you become friends with Sakura, Ino will think that you are a kind, hearted person who likes to help people like Sakura in need of mental support who is thriving, so if you help Sakura; It will be good for you." Tsunade crossed her fingers over her legs.

• • •

The next day, Sasuke went out for his jog at the same time and through the same route, in almost hopes of catching Sakura again. Which he immediately did.

"Hey!" she cried from behind him.

All his thoughts came to a grinding halt, "How the fuck do you know when I run?" he was shocked.

"I wanted to clarify something, I just want us to be friends," Sakura looked rather prettier today if that was even possible. She was wearing a black cross-fit hoodie that accentuated her curves with cycling shorts.

He ran in silence beside her.

"Did you hear what I said?" she asked after a minute.

He did not reply.

"Why are you giving me such a hard time?" Sakura was irritated.

"I am not giving you a hard time," he halted in front of Kurenai's Diner. She stopped beside him.

"I don't know how to act with you when you do this shit," she replied. 

"Do you wanna have dinner with me at this Diner?" he asked her, panting between words. 

She paused, narrowing her eyes at him, pouting almost too cutely as she brushed the sweat-soaked pink strands off her forehead. 

"Pick me up at 7:30," she replied before running away from him. 

And 7:30 was exactly when he stood on her porch. Her neighbors glared through their windows at the man standing at her door, her parents stepped out on to the tiny foyer of their house and stared at him as well. 

He had worn a navy blue hoodie with a dark pair of trousers. Kids ran across the street wearing their costumes, hiding behind bushes, yelling and screaming "Trick or treat!" as the whole neighborhood beamed of exhilaration, except for him.

She walked out wearing her typical outfit, tight black fishnet stockings, black ankle-length boots, a mid-thigh length lacey dress that hugs her curves. The black cross hung in the same fashion from her neck and she had black dagger-like earrings to her usually bare ears. She held a black leather jacket in her arm as she walked towards him.

Sasuke's eyes were glued. He couldn't stop staring, not even if he forced himself to, she just looked too alluring to not stare at. He wanted to tear that dress apart, wait, no. He couldn't think like that. This was wrong.

"Happy Halloween," he greeted her, grimacing before staring into her green eyes.

"Hi," she smiled softly.

The walk down to Kurenai's was silent, he opened the door for her as they stepped inside and occupied a booth.

He stared at the contents of the menu before the waitress arrived, "What would you like to have today?"

"Grilled Tomato's with pepper seasoning and a Caeser's salad, please," he said.

"Green tea," Sakura recited. 

The waitress jotted down the order and left. Sasuke forced himself to function normally and not overreact, bringing his eyes back to meet hers. 

"You look nice," he complimented her.

"Thank you," she smiled softly.

Their eyes did not shift even for a second as they sat face to face ensnaring each other's gaze, only until the waitress brought them their food. 

"Grilled tomatoes with the Caeser Salad, and here's your green tea, honey," she smiled at Sakura only to be returned the same gesture.

"You wanna share this?" he asked her after noticing her lack of appetite.

"Why did you order a salad and tomatoes?" she asked him inquisitively.

"Why did you order tea?" 

"Because you ordered a salad,"

"I ordered a salad because I didn't want this to be mistaken for a date,"

"It can still be a date if you ordered Salad,"

"It's not a date." He retorted before meeting her eyes again, "So hows your house thing going?" he asked.

"It's going slow, hows your restraining order going?"

"I wouldn't call the restraining order my thing, because getting back with Ino is my thing, and I think I am doing pretty well. Except for a minor incident at the doctor's office-"

"Yeah and the so-called incident with the weights," she snapped.

"Yeah, that was a thing with my parents. I wish I could just explain it all in a letter to Ino because it was so stupid. If I could just explain it and show her I am not outta control, and tell her I am doing really well." He spoke with certainty.

They sat silently except for a few stolen glances as Sakura drank her tea, pondering over the thought.

"I can get a letter to Ino, I see her sometimes when she hangs out with Temari," she replies.

"It would be so amazing if you could do that." He replies with fervor.

"But I'll have to get it past Temari and be very careful, hide it. She's not into breaking the law, which this letter would definitely be doing," she brought her face closer to his.

"But you'd do it, right?" He got closer to her mirroring her action.

There was another pause.

"I am already on thin ice with my parents ever since I lost my job," Sakura was barely a few inches away from him.

"How'd you lose your job?" He quirked a brow in curiosity.

"I, well, by having sex with everybody in the office," she replied hesitantly.

"Everybody?" he gasped.

"I was very depressed after Neji died, it wasn't that many."

"We don't have to talk about it," he said, like he was lying.

"Thanks," she lowered her eyes to look at the cup in her hand.

"How many were there?" He asked without even catching his breath.

"Eleven."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I am not gonna bring it up again," he said.

"Okay," she spoke softly.

"Can I ask you one more question?" he whispered embarrassingly.

"Sure," her green eyes met his.

"Were there any women?" His eyes narrowed as he stared at her.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What was that like?"

"Hot." Her cheeks were heating up.

"Jesus Christ." Sasuke gasped. Sakura stared back at him and bit her lower lip, shyly. His eyes lowered from her eyes to her lips. 

"Was it like, older women, like a sexy teacher who wants to seduce you and-" he asked explicatively.

"Made me sit on her lap and do things? Yeah." Sakura's eyes did not leave his.

"What? You sat on her lap?" He had his fingers crossed and his knuckles were white-hot. 

"Mhm." Sakura stared back at her cup, almost embarrassed.

"She told you what to do?" His eyes were glued to her. He could notice her cheeks turn red.

"Mhm," she wouldn't look up.

"Oh my god! Ino hated it when I talked like this. It made me sound like a perv. Maybe we should change the subject." He pressed his fingers over his mouth, his lips curled over his mouth before crossing his fingers in front of him again.

"I don't mind it," she murmured, softly.

"You don't, do you?" He inched closer to her face. He stared intently.

"No. But then people were getting into fights at the parking lot at work and in the bathroom. And then my boss called me in and tried to pin it on me and started to hurt me. So I filed for sexual harassment against him and then they fired me, sent me home and put me on some meds." She tilted her face to the left, resting it on her shoulder softly looking away from him.

"I get it. This song that was playing when I caught my wife with her best friend, it was my wedding song. When I hear it I go crazy, sometimes I hear it when it's not even playing." Sasuke explained.

"Wow."

"Yeah, so they put me on medication, so I know how you feel. You just gotta get a strategy you know?"

"Yeah," she whispered, softly.

"We better get back to the letter," Sasuke said.

"Yeah, we should get back to the letter," she nodded and looked into her cup.

"What if you told Ino when Temari was in the bathroom or something?" 

"Yes, yes that could work," Sakura nodded.

"Good, I am gonna go home and write that letter right now." He said and waved a hand to the waitress.

"Wait, can I at least finish my tea," she asked a little stung. 

"What?"

"My tea, can I finish it?"

"Wait a minute, did Temari tell Ino about our dinner? Why would she do that, was it a test?" He lowered his hand.

"I kinda got a feeling too," she replied.

"God damn it, I knew it. I did well, I guess I did very well."

"Yeah, cool basically."

"Basically? Was I some percentage NOT cool? I think I did well what do you mean basically?"

"No, she said you were cool, you know, sort of how you are," Sakura clarified.

"What do you mean sort of how I am?"

"Sort of like me," she muttered.

"Sort of like you? I hope to GOD she didn't tell Ino that!" He asked her dreadfully. 

"Why?" she raised a brow.

"Because it's not right, lumping you and me together. It's- I mean, this is wrong. Ino wouldn't like that. Especially after all the stuff you just told me."

She narrowed her eyes, which were now thin slits. "You think I am crazier than you?" she muttered. 

"Uh, more different than you." He corrected her.

"Oh my god, ugh, you are killing me." She sighed, "You know what, forget I offered to help you, forget the entire fucking idea 'cos that must have been fucking crazy! Because I am so much crazier than you." She recited every word raising her tone.

"Keep your voice down," he said after receiving stares from every other person at the diner.

"I am just the crazy slut with the DEAD HUSBAND! AAAHHAHAHAHHA FORGET IT!" She sniggered maniacally before slamming her hand shoving the entire mug and salad platter off the table, crockery crashing into the floor. 

"Will you please calm down?" He grumbled under his breath, on the brim of an outburst.

"Fuck you!" she uttered before strutting out of the diner donning her leather jacket. 

"Sakura!" he got up from the booth, staring for the mess.

He noticed the cell phone she forgot on the table and grabbed it before walking through the narrow passage, the waitress called out to him.

"Hey, slow down Tomato-boy!" she slammed a cheque in his chest, as he shoved money onto her counter and stepped outside.

"Hey, hey! Come on, look I don't think you are crazy okay?" He chased after her. 

"Yes you do, you told your therapist, that you were in a superior mental illness category, and you didn't-" 

"Hey, just hear me out!" He grabbed her shoulders.

"Just leave me alone!" she shoved him back.

"Can I just explain myself, please? I didn't want Ino to think I was associated with that kind of sexual behavior because I have never done anything like that okay?" He reached for her hand, pulling her towards him.

"You might not have had experienced the things that I did, but you loved hearing about it, didn't you? You're just afraid to be alive, afraid to live. You're a conformist. You're a hypocrite. You're a liar. I opened up to you and you judged me! You're an asshole. YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE! Get off of me! He's harassing me! HE'S HARASSING ME!" She pushed him away as people gathered around them.

"I am not!" He screamed back before he could get close to her again as people passing by stood around them and grabbed him asking him invariable questions about his behavior. 

"Get off!! He's harassing me!!" She continued wailing.

"Hey, stop!" He replied calmly pulling his hands away in defeat. 

"Hey man, back off!" A stranger pushed him aside.

"Stop it back off okay!!" "Fuck off mate, stop troubling her!" Several people gathered around him shoving him from side to side.

Suddenly his wedding song began to play in his mind and he unconsciously lost his grip on reality.

Sakura noticed his frozen form, her eyes narrowed, as he swayed from side to side queasily and fidgetted with his hands in a daze. The police siren beeped from a few meters away as Officer Kotetsu pulled up to grab him by the collar.

"Hey, what are you doing? What are you doing to these kids, man? You being a punk to these kids, you wanna go back to the mental institution?" he shoved Sasuke by the chest and pulled him aside to the police car. 

"I didn't-I didn't, I wasn't gonna-" he stammered and receded into his anxiety fumbling with words.

"Come on Uchiha, what do you doing? Are you sick? Stop behaving like it then!" Kotetsu yelled.

Sakura stood behind them staring at Sasuke's weary form as he fumbled around, pressing against the hood of Kotetsu's car. She took notice of his panicking and immediately stepped forward.

"It's not him! It's not his fault! It's just the kids, it's the kids. It's not his fault. It was all the kids!" she wailed at Kotetsu, pulling Sasuke back towards her. She slipped her fingers through his and the other one by his wrist.

"Come on, breathe! Breathe. What are you gonna do about that song? Are you gonna spend your whole life scared about that song? It's a song, don't make it a monster. Breathe, there's no song, there's no song." Sakura squeezed his hand. 

Sasuke gasped continuously holding onto her, before bringing his eyes to meet hers. Dark charcoal irises met jade ones, as his breathing steadied. He looked away realizing their proximity, cheeks flushed.

"That's it, that's it, calm down now. I am sorry." She held onto his hand.

"No, I am sorry." He replied.

"I went too far," she said as he gazed into her eyes intently. Their hands were untangled now. She had moved away from him.

"Hey, was he messing with you?" Kotetsu asked her.

"It was a joke, this was just a joke I started!" she explained facing him.

"It's not funny, he has a restraining order against him!" Kotetsu said, reprimandingly.

"Well what can I do, I am fucked in the head. I got nothing better to do!" Sakura yelled back.

"You're Neji's widow right?" he said, recognizing her in his mind. 

"Yes, I am Neji's crazy widow!" She replied angrily.

"You are a funny girl... you wanna get a drink sometime?" he inched closer to her. 

She shrugged and walked away annoyed.

"What'd I say?" Kotetsu asked, baffled by her rejection. 

"Hey! She isn't like that anymore!" Sasuke looked at the Officer with a scowl decking his face. 

He walked in her direction figuring out where she went. He caught up to her frantic pace and pulled her arm towards him.

"I am sorry about what I said to you earlier," he said.

"I know, you didn't mean it." She kept her focus ahead on the street filled with kids dressed in costumes walking back to their houses.

"I didn't mean it at all," he added.

"I know. You say shit all the time," she answered.

"ALL the time!" he repeated.

"I'll still give your letter to Ino," she forced it out of her mouth.

He was astonished, he wasn't expecting that. "Wow, thanks, Sakura. I appreciate that." 

"I know you do." She replied before walking in the direction of her house.

"Can I walk you?" he asked.

"No, thanks I am fine," She walked away.

"Can I at least see you tomorrow?" He asked again.

"Yeah," he heard a low mumble as he watched her rosette hair fade into the dark.


End file.
